1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cosmetic compositions. More particularly, the present invention relates to an emulsified skin treatment or skin care composition containing certain compounds that have been found highly effective in mediating cell to cell communication.
The present invention is based on the discovery that certain compounds, when formulated into a composition designed for topical application to the skin, will result in a composition that induces and promotes the biosynthesis and/or bioactivity of endogenous chemicals. The chemicals mediate cell to cell communication in the skin between keratinocytes, fibroblasts and other cell types present in the skin by activating gene expression which, in turn, enhances cellular activity. As a result, anti-aging and skin normalizing benefits can be achieved because the enhanced cellular communication stimulates sluggish cellular activity normally seen in older cells and reprograms skin to behave like younger skin. In short, it may help to turn skin “on” where it is “off”.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,686,489 issued on Nov. 11, 1987 to Yu et al. It discloses the use of alkyl esters of alpha-hydroxy acids to increase skin thickness when topically applied to the skin in a composition having a concentration range of 1 to 100%, preferably about 2 to 5%.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,213 issued on Aug. 31, 1976 to Lapinet et al. and discloses the use of cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP) as a skin softening agent which can be applied to the skin at concentrations of 0.01-2% in the form of lotions and creams, including oil in water emulsions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,494, which issued on Nov. 8, 1994 to Zysman et al., discloses a particular surfactant for preparing skin treatment compositions that may also contain cyclic AMP, plankton and sunflower oil.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,518 issued on Apr. 21, 1998 to Ribler et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,868 issued on May 6, 1997 to Morancais et al. Both patents disclose skin treatment compositions in the form of a dispersion of vesicles and list cyclic AMP and plankton among many optional functional ingredients.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,873 issued on May 24, 1994 to Tomita et al. This patent provides a milk-protein hydrolyzate that consists of a mixture of peptides and free amino acids. The mixture has proliferation activating properties on human cutaneous cells. The peptides of the hydrolyzate have molecular weights less than 1000 daltons. The hydrolyzate has a free aromatic amino acid/total aromatic amino acid ratio of at least 90%. Fractionation of the milk protein hydrolyzate yields a fraction consisting of a mixture of peptides. The fraction has a proliferation activating property on human cutaneous cells. The fraction contains aromatic amino acids in an amount less than 5% by weight of total amino acids. It is disclosed for use in skin care emulsions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,597 issued on Jan. 16, 1996 to Slavtcheff et al., and discloses a hydroalcoholic microemulsion composition for skin treatment. The composition includes water, a C1-C4 alkanol and an oil material selected from vitamin oils, C10-C60 terpenes and mixtures thereof. The composition is formed into a clear, storage stable microemulsion through a combination of surfactants including an ethoxylated castor oil and a propoxylated alkyl ether. The terpene may be an oxygenated terpene such as phytol.